Railroad signal system.



No. 817,463. PATENTED APR. 10, 1906.-

R. A. BALDWIN & G. D. FOOTE.

RAILROAD SIGNAL SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED 5116.10.1905.

SHEETSS ET 1.

PATENTED APR. 10, 1906. R. A. BALDWIN .& G. D. FOOTB- RAILROAD SIGNAL SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 10, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ibvicoaca v a 5 g Mme gig flw- UNITED STATES PATENT" OFFICE.

ROLLIN A. BALDWIN AND GEORGE D. FOOTE, OF NEW HAVEN, (JON- NEGTICUT. ASSIGNORS TO BALDWIN & ROWLAND SWITCH & SIGNAL CO.. A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

RAILROAD SIGNAL SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 10, 1906.

Application filed August 10,1905. SerialNo. 273,504-

' of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railroad Signal Systems, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact de scription.

- Our invention relates to railroad-signals.

In.single-trackrailway installations it is customary to provide double-track sections at intervals along the railroad, so that cars traveling in opposite directions may pass one another; This arrangement is particularly common in suburban trolley-roads, and the arrangement is generally such that cars are admitted in one direction or the other into the single-track section separately, those desiringbto pass in the return direction being held ack at theswitch or double-track section until the first cars have left the single track. Under ordinary circumstances but one car is admitted to the block-section at a time; but'during rush hoursit is sometimes desired to admit two orany greater number of cars into thesin le-track section in one direction and after they have all left the same to admit a plurality of cars in the opposite direction. It is theobject of our invention to' provide a semaphore signal apparatus which shall be adapted to the above conditions and which shall display danger-signals at one entrance to a single-track section as long as any cars are passing through the section from the opposite end.

A further object of the invention is to provide a,device which shall be effective under,

all conditions which arise in practice, which shall be simple and easy to construct, and havin few operating parts.

Wit these and other objects in view our invention consists'in the construction, com bination, location, and arrangement of parts,

all as will be more fully hereinafter set forth,. as shown in the accompanying drawings, andfinally particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view showing the electrical connections of a railroad signal system embodying the rinciples of our invention. Fig. 2 is a side e evati'on of the recording si rial-transmitter employed in the sys tem il ustrated in Fig. 1,'and Fig. 3 is a perspective View showing a detail of construction.

' In carrying out our invention we employ a recording appliance at each entrance to the.

signal-section, which is adapted to make a record of each car which enters the section and to complete asignal-circuit until all of such cars have again left the section. While we have shown this device as employed with a single-track railroad in which cars run in opposite directions, it is obvious that it is equally capable of use upon a double-track road to admit a number of trains to a blocksection, becoming automatically cleared after all the trains have left that section.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings, and to the various views andreferencesigns appearing thereon, in which like parts are designated by the same reference-sign wherever they occur, A denotes a portion of a road-bed which may be either steam or electric or that of an ordinary street-car installation, and in the drawings we have shown a single-track section A and double-track sections A and A. At suitablepoints adjacent to each entrance to the block A we provide means B, B, B and B for making an electrical circuit whenever a car passes these oints. It 1s obvious that such circuit-closmg means may be of any desired sort; but

We prefer to make use of an insulated conducs tor or section'c, Fig. 4, upon the usual trol ley-wire d, to which the trolley-wheel forms a bridge from the wire when a car passes,

so that the insulated section is temporarily charged.

C and C indicateybroadlmwhat we shall term recording signal-transmitters, and a preferred construction of each of theseparts is illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. of the drawings.

Referrin to Fig. 2, 1 denotes a frame or casin in which is 'ournaled a rotatable shaft 2. pen the sha t 2 We arrange arevoluble disk or wheel 3, having an insulated section 4 upon the periphery thereof. 5 and 6 denote separate ratchet-wheels which are respectively keyed .to. the shaft and which have teeth pointin'gin opposite directions. 7 denotes a contact brush which is secured. to the frame 1, so as to bear upon the periphery of the disk or wheel 3, and is normally located in the principles of our invention.

opposite the insulated section thereon. By virtue of the above arrangement the wheel is turned in one direction or the other by the actuation of either ratchet-wheel, andcontact is made between the wheel and its brush 7.

While we have shown a particular construction involving a pair of ratchet-wheels, we do not desire ,to berestricted thereto, since" other constructions may be used and still fall vlvitht 1s merely essential to provide means by which the wheel is stepped in one direction or the other by the operation of either of a pair of separate actuating means.

8 and 9 indicate, broadly, the actuating means by which the wheel or disk'3 is turned, and. we have shown a practical construction comprising solenoid-magnets10 and 11, having movable cores therein. 1 P

-12 denotes the movable core for the magnet 10, which is mounted upon a rod 13, guided to reciprocate in bearings 14, 15, and

16.- Upon the-reciprocatingrod 13 we arran e 'a feeding-pawl 17, which-engages the rate et-whee'l 6. The pawl 17 is provided with ,an inclined surface 17, which bears against a fixed'stop or in 18, so that the pawl is normally cleared o the ratchet when not in operation;

. pawl is extended over the reciprocating rod 19 denotes a second stationarv fixed stop, for the feeding-pawl. 20 indicates what we shall term a .stop- I aw and comprises. an arm pivoted to the ame at" 21 and having a tooth or detent 22 toengage the ratchet? The tail of the stop- 13, so that the detent 22 passes into the path of and limits the movement of the ratchet.- vwheel 6 whenever the latter is moved by the ,feedin pawl 17 everthe solenoid 10.is energized its core is It will be seen that whendrawn upward, so that the ratchet-wheel is steppedaround exactly one tooth, such motion being accurately determined by the stop pawlf20;

The feeding mechanism of the ratchet- 'wheel is substantially similar to that of the ratchet-wheel 6, except directed in the opposite Way and need not, therefore, be again de' scribed in detail. By virtue of the ratchet 5' thefwheel 3 is stepped aroundone notch to the left whenever the solenoid 11 is energized. B and R indicate resistances which we employ'in practice in series with the oper-n,

ating-magnets' and 11 in order that the current taken from the usual five-hundred- .volt circuit "shall not be excessiveI In order to simplify thediagram of circuitslater described, these resistances will not be. referred to, since it isiobvii'ous that they may or may not'be usedaiid take no part in the operation of the real invention. v

Arranged within each recording signaltransmitter C and C we arrange a locking-' magnet, which is diagrammatically shown at the locking-lever 27 falls by gravity, both 10f the vpa wls 5 and 6 are released and the-magnet l0 and its whee D and D in Fig. .1. A convenient construc tion of this locking-magnet is particularly shown 1n Figs. 2 and 3, in which a solenoid 2 4 ratchet-wheels 5 and 6, so that each of the ratchet-wheels is engaged and locked against rotation whenever the locking-lever 27 is When the solenoid 24 is deenergized, so that raised.

free to rotate under the influence of their feeding-dogs.

In conjunction withthe apparatus above described We employsemaphores or displaysignals of any desired s0rtsuch,- for example,' as diagrammatically shown in Fig. 1, in which E and E indicate, broadly, the signal devices.

ranged to display a red or danger signal at each entrance to the block E. vide lamps 34 34, 'Which are arranged to indi cate what we shall term a telltale-signal at each entrance to the block.

' is secured in any convenient'way to the frame 1 and has a core or plunger 25 longitudinally In practice we provide pairs of lamps 32, 33, 32, and 33, which are ar- We also pro-1 I 35 35 indicate telltale-lampswhich are normally out of circuit, but are arran ed to I be automatically switched into circuit s ould either of, the lamps 34 34 burn out by'any suitable magnetic cut-out, which need not be described.

Wewill now describe the various 'arran e merits of circuits and mechanical parts y which the above-described devices are used in o eration and by which a complete railroa -signal attaining the objects of this invention is provided. I

Z indicatesa connection from the circuitclosing device B to the ma net 10 of the recording signal-transmitter the circuit being completed throughthe fwire Z to the ound at G. P indicates .a "connection omt'hecircuit closing-device B to the mag net 11 of the signal-transmitting device C, which is also com leted to the ground at G through the wire Z Z, Z, and Z indicate connections from the circuit-closing devices 13 and B to the recording-transmitter C, in all respects similar to the connection of the recording signal-transmitter C above described. By these means wheneverthe car passes from the section A onto the single track section A a circuit is completed through around one notch to the right. Whenever a 3 is stepped err ice notch in the opposite direction. Accordingly it will be seen t at if the wheel is initially positioned with the insulatin -section 4 under the brush 7 a circuit wil be completed times as magnet 10, so that the wheel 3 will be again located at its zero position. I In like manner whenever a car passes from the sec tion A tosection A the recording signaltransmitter C is actuated in a right-handed direction. and is re turned step by step to zero position when all of the carspassing from left to right have left the block A We will now describe the signalcircuits which are completed by the above-described action and the manner in which the various signals are displayed. Whenever contact is made between the wheel 3 and the brush 7, which we have seen occurs when a car passes from block A to block A, current passes from any suitable source, such as the trolleywire having a connection 0- therefrom, through lead-m, lamp 34, wire on? to -the semaphore ap )aratus E. At this point the circuits may way, so as to display the lamps 32 33", the seniaphorearm F, and also energize the locking-magnet D, previously referred to.

We have conveniently shown all of these devices in a multiple circuit in order that a burnout or failure of" any one may not aiicct the rest; but it is clear that they may be" in aseries multiple or in a series circuit,if desired. In any case it is merely necessary to employ'resistances suitable to the conditions. The circuit is completed through the ground connection Gr. By reason of the completion of the above circuit it will be seen that a telltalesignal 34 has been displayed to the car passing onto the block A, while the semaphorearm F andthe danger-lamps 32 33 are displayed to hold up all cars at the section A from entering the this conditionwill be maintained for any de sired number of cars entering the block from the section A until the last of such cars has passed off at A. In like manner the telltale-si nal 34 and the semaphore apparatus E are isplaycd by cars passing from right to left. The purpose of the telltale-si nalsis to indicate to an entering car that t e apparatus is in proper condition and that the semaphore devices at the opposite end have been properly displayed.

I It sometimes happens that after a car has entered. an unoccupied block from one end that a car will enter from the opposite end, disregarding the warning semaphore displayed, and, under these circumstances a controversy might arise when the cars meet at e completed. in any desired' to the points B and'B*, res this case the connections for t e transmitter block. It is evident that the center ofthe single track as to which has the right of way. In order to prevent sucha controversy, the'locking-magnets D and D are used, and it will, be seen that whenever.

cither of the semaphore devices E or E are operated at either entrance to the block A" one or the other of the locking-magnets D is energized. When the semaphore E displays signals to lock out cars from leaving the section: A the locking-magnet D is energized, sothat the wheel 3 cannot turn. Accordingly cars which wrongfully leave the section A cannot cause the actuation of their recording signal-transmitters, so that conflicting signals will be given. I

The circuits from the recording si naltransmitterO are exactly like those o the' recording signahtransrnitter C and include wires m and m, through which current passes in the same way as through the wires m and m The apparatus is symmetrical with respect to its action in both directions,- so that its action for cars passing from right to left need not be repeated.

We have now described the various mechanical parts andelectrical connections ofa complete and operative railroad signal sys: tem embodying the rinciples of our invention. It is obvious t at the various mechanical parts could be widely modified and still be applicable to the arrangement of circuits shown. In like manner the arrangement of circuits may he modified and still fall within the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, it is not necessary to have the're-v cording signal-transmitter C connected to contactsB andB since the device would work equally well were the connections made ectively. In

C would be made to the circuit'closing devices B and B instead of B and B It is merely essential that the respective record ing signal-transmitters be cross-connected to be operated by entering and issuing trains upon an intermediate block-section.

It is to be understood, that we install a complete apparatus for each single-track blocksection along the line, which is complete in itself and independent ofsucceeding sections.

What we claim is- 1. In a block-signal system, a wheel or dish, a signal -circuit arranged to be com pleted by movement of said wheel or disk in either direction, a pair of operating-magnets for moving said disk in either direction, and a locking-magnet for holding saidivheel or disk against rotation.

2. In a block- 'gnal system, awheel or disk, o positely directed ratchet teeth secured t ereto, a pair of fecding-pawls acting on the respective ratchet-teeth, a pair of magnets having operative connections to said fee in pawls, and a locking-magnet arranged to hofd said disk against rotation.

pair of oppositely-directed ratchet-Wheels connected to said disk, feeding-pawls for the respective ratchet-Wheels, a rocking lever having detents thereon to engage each of said ratchet-wheels,. and a locking -magnet for moving said rocking lever into engaging position.

4. In a railroad signal system, a wheel or disk, means for moving said Wheel or disk step by step in either direction, a circuit completed by said movement of said wheel or disk, said circuit including a telltale-signal, and means whereby the completion of said circuit displays a danger-signal-and actuates a locking'magnet. r

5. In a block-signal system, a disk havingv an insulated section thereon, a contact bearing on said insulated section and having included in circuit therewith a telltale-signal, a danger-signal and a semaphore-operating means, means for charging the said disk from a trolley-Wire, a ground-return for said circuit, and a pair of solenoid-magnets having.

armatures acting on said disk to turn the same inopposite directions,

6; In a block-signal system, a disk having an insulated section thereon, a contact hearing on said disk and included in a-circuit having a semaphore-operating means and dangersignal therein, means for charging said disk by connection to the trolley-Wire, a pair of magnetsarranged to step said disk around in opposite directions, and a pair of circuit- -closing devices opposite the ends of a blocksection included in circuits with said respective magnets.

,'7. In a block-signal system, a disk having an insulated section thereon, a pair of solendanger-signal at the opposite end arran ed to be completed by the rotation of said dis 8. In a block-signal system, a disk having an insulated section thereon, apair of solenoid-magnets arranged to step around said disk in opposite direction, circuit-closing devices upon the trolley-Wire at opposite ends of the block-section in circuit with the respective magnets, a circuit including a telltale-signal at one end of the section and a danger-signal at the opposite end arranged to be completed by the rotation of said disk, and a locking-magnet for said disk.

9. In a block-signal system, a pair of double-track sections connected by an intermediate single track section, circuit-closing devices upon the trolley-wires of both doubletrack sections, a pair of disks charged from the trolley-Wire alsoopposite such points and each having an insulated section thereon, magnets for'stepping around said disks respectively connected to said circuit-closing devices, a pair of contacts bearing on said disks, and a air of series circuits each includin one of said contacts and also including te ltale and dan er signals at the respective entrances to t e single-track section.

In Witness whereof we subscribe our signatures in the presence of tWo Witnesses.

ROLLIN A. BALDWIN. GEORGE T)...FOOTE. Witnesses:

HEVALAN ROWLAND, SUSAN E. MERRIAM. 

